A morphometric study of predictors for sexual dimorphism of cervical part of vertebral column in human foetuses

Foetal anatomy is the evolving specialty in the modern era. The first reason behind this is the advancement of a new field of in-utero foetal surgery and second reason is that it is related to medico-legal importance. According to the gestational age 30 foetuses were divided into two groups. Each group comprised of 10 male and 5 female foetuses with gestational age <25 and >25 weeks respectively, corresponding with 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. Spinal cord was exposed by opening vertebral canal from behind by laminectomy. Transverse diameter of cervical vertebral canal and height of cervical vertebral body were measured at C3 to C7 vertebral levels. The aim of the study was to find the reference values of transverse diameter of vertebral canal and height of bodies of vertebrae at different cervical vertebral level and to appreciate whether it spectacles sexual dimorphism or not. Another aim was to decide which parameter (Transverse diameter of vertebral canal or height of the body of cervical vertebrae) of the vertebrae is the better indicator of sexual dimorphism. Sexual difference at different vertebral levels was observed in only third trimester. The values of transverse diameter were more in females and height of the vertebral bodies in males at all levels of cervical vertebrae. The Cohen’s Kappa coefficient for transverse diameter of cervical vertebral canal is 0.6 whereas of height of the body of cervical vertebrae is 0.2. Both transverse diameter and height of cervical vertebrae (C3–C7) shows sexual dimorphism in third trimester. Between these two parameters, transverse diameter the vertebral canal of the cervical region proves to be a better indicator of gender.